Flow valve for oil wells



Jan. 2, 1934.

C. H. BORING FLOW VALVE FOR OIL WELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed cal 1934- c. H. BORING FLOW VALVE FOR OIL WELLS Fi'led Oct. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. .2, 1934 FLOW VALVE FOROIL WELLS Clarence 'H. Boring, New Straits ville, Ohio, as

signor of one-half to Straitsville, Ohio- Firmen Lambert, New

Application October Seria lJNo. 640,112

9 Claims. (01. 103-232) This invention relates to flow valves for oil wells and has for its object-to provide novel means whereby air, gas, or other fluid at low pressure may be utilized forlifting or elevating 5 the fluid content of deep wellsand thus minimize the expense and danger incident to present methods which use gas at high pressure for elevating the fluid."

Heretofore it has been the practice to introduce 10 gas at high pressure into anannularchamber or space betweenthe well casing and tubingin order to force the fluid'at the bottom of said annular space upwardly through the tubing to the surface of the ground or-other'point of discharge. When the well is deep, very highgas pressure is required to effect the elevation of the fluid, which not onlyrenders the installation and operation of the mechanism expensive but often endangers the safety and lives'of the workmen.

The present invention aims-to obviate these objectionable features and to. effect a conservation in gas and a reduction ofthe pressure of said gas or other fluidused forelevating purposes,

7 by inserting within thewell tubing a series of float controlled valves operable successivelybythe rise of the fluid inthe tubing for controlling the admission of gas'or other. fluid into said tubing. y .Y

A further object'is to so; construct the. valve casings and other associated parts-that they will ofiervery little resistance to; the upwardpassage of the liquid within the tubing and to provide a novel form of baflie beneath :each valveqcasing which baiiies also act as guides for the valve stems and thus insure positive closing of the valves.

A still further object of thev invention is genera ally to improve this class of devices so as-to. increase theirutility and 'efliciency. V

In the accompanying drawings forming a part 40 of this specification: r r Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional View, partly in elevation, of a; conventional oil well showing the improved flow valves in position thereon; V

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the float valvesand its associated parts, showing the valve in closed position.

Figure 3 is a similarview showing the valve in open position to admit gas into the well tubing. Figure 4.,is-a transverse; sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. v r

Figure 5 is a similarview taken on the line 55ofFigure2. a

.Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the flgures of the drawings.

The improved flow valve forming the subject matter. of the present invention is shown inconnection with a conventional oil well in which 5 indicates the casing and 6 the inner tubingdis-' posed therein and spaced therefrom to form an annular spaceor chamber 7 for thereceptiont of gas, air, 'orother fluid'at low pressure; said fluid being admitted into the chamber. 7 through :the top of the casing in any suitable or desired'manner,

as by a pipe 8. Interposed atspaced intervals in f the lengthxof the tubing6 are pipe sections'9 of greater cross sectional diameter than the tubing 6 and connected withthe tubing by tapered couplingsleevesm havingitheir opposite ends threaded for engagement Withcorresponding threads on thetubing and adjacent pipe sections. The pipesections' 9 constitute. protecting jackets for the fioat controlled valves. and their associated parts which willbe referredto more particularly hereinafter, and it willbeunderstood that as many. -'of;;the sections or jackets 9may be used in u a well as'is found necessary or desirable. Secured to'or formed integral with each pipe section 9 V isan. elbow 11 having a passage 12;formed therein, one end of which opens into the annular space or chamber 7. and the'other end thereof into a valve cage 12'.. The outer wall of each pipe section 9 is preferablyformed with an annular series or rowof projections 13 surrounding the entrance to'the passage 12 and fitting over the ,end of the passage'12 and retained in position by the projec-' 35 tions or lugs 13 is a screen 14 which prevents sediment and other impurities from entering the valve cage. Disposed within each pipe section 9 is'a substantially. elliptical-shaped casing 15 in which is mounted. acorrespondingly shaped float 16. The opposite ends of the casing 15 are provided with substantially conical-shaped caps 1'7 and18havingthreaded connection with the cas ing, as indicated at 19, so that the caps may be readily removedto-facilitate cleaning the. casings 5 when fnecessary. The upper caps 17 are provided with akseries of perforations 19 while the lower caps 18 are preferably formed with a single opening 2Q, the opening 20 permitting the liquid to trolling the flow of fluid from the annular chamber into the tubing, and a float disposed within the float chamber and actuated by the rise of liquid in the pipe section to permit opening 'of the valve. 7

5. In an oil well, a casingand tubing spaced therefrom to form an annular chamber, means for introducing an elevating fluid into the chamber, a pipe section forming a part of the tubing,

a float chamber arranged within the pipe sec-' tion, a baflie arranged beneath the float chamber, a normally closed valve for controlling the flow of fluid from the annular chamber into the pipe section, a valve stem extending through the baffle into the float chamber, and a float operating within the float chamber and actuated by the rise of the liquid in the pipe section to release the valve stem and permit the entrance of the elevating fluid into said pipe section.

6. In an oil well, a casing and tubing spaced therefrom to form an annular chamber, means for introducing an elevating fluid into the chamber, a pipe section forming a part of the tubing,

a float chamber having oppositely disposed 7. In an oil well, a casing and tubing spacedi therefrom to form an annular chamber, means for introducing elevating fluid into the chamber,v

a pipe section forming a part of the tubing, afloat chamber disposed within the pipe section and arranged eccentric thereto, an elbow projecting inwardly from the pipe section and provided with a passage forming a source of communication between the annular chamber and the interior of the pipesection, a valve for contrqlling the flow of fluid through said passage, there being projections on the exterior wall of the pipe section around the entrance to-said passage, a screen extending across the entranceto said passage at said projections, a bafiie-disposed beneath the float chamber, a valve stem extending through the bafile into the float chamber, anda float oper ating in the float chamber and normally holding the valve closed, said float being actuated by the rise of the liquid in the pipe section to permit opening movement of the valve.

8. In an oil well, a casing and tubing spaced therefrom to form an annular chamber, means for introducing elevating fluid into the chamber, a plurality of pipe sections of greater cross sectional diameter than the tubing interposedjin the length thereof, a perforated float chamber disposed Within each pipe secti0n,-a valve for controlling the flow of fluid from the annular cham-' ber into each pipe section, and a vertically movable float operating in each float chamber and normally holding the adjacent valve closed, said floats being successively actuated by the rise of the liquid in the tubing to release the valves.

9. In anoil well, a casing and tubing spaced therefrom to form an annular chamber, means for introducing an elevating fluid into the chamber, a plurality of pipe sections of greater cross sectional diameter than the tubing interposed in the length thereof, a float chamber arranged within each pipe section and disposed eccentric to the inner wall thereof, each float chamber being provided with oppositely disposed tapered per forated heads, a bafiie arranged beneath, each float chamber and having spaced openings therein, one of which constitutes a guide opening and V the other a drain opening, an elbow carried by each pipe section and having a passage therein forming a source of communication between the.

annular chamber and the adjacent pipe section, a

valve cage carried by each elbow, valves in said cages, valve stems normally holding the valves in closed position and extendingthrough the guide 5 openings in the bafiles into the adjacent floatchambers, floats arranged within said chambers and actuated by the rise of the liquid in the tubing to permit release of the valves, and stop collars formed on the valve stems and adapted to engage 12 the float chambers for limiting the upward movement of said valve stems.

CLARENCE H. BORING. [L.S.] 

